Steam hydraulic elevator.



E. B. & W. H. RIDGWAY.

STEAM HYDRAULIC ELEVATOR.

APPUCATION FILED OCT. 6. 1914.

, 1,26QQ5'Y, PatentedMar. 19,1918,

' 3. SHEETS SHEET l- Iva/6112 075.

E. B. & W. H. RIDGWAY.

STEAM HYDRAULIC ELEVATOR. APPLICATION FILED OCT- 6. 1914.

1,260,057. Pateiited Mar. 19, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.v

E. B. & W. H. RIDGWAY.

STEAM HYDRAULIC ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 6, 19x4.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

3 $HEETS$HEET 3- E STATES ELLIS B. RIDGWAY AND WILLIAM H. RIDGWAY, OF GOATESVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM HYDRAULIC ELEVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ELLIS B. RIDGWAY and VVILLIAM H. RioewAY, citizens of the United States, and residents of Coatesville, county of Chester, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Steam Hydraulic Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

One object of our invention is to make an elevator of the type illustrated. so that it will be quick in action, especially when the car or cage is at the upper landing so that when the mechanism is reversed to allow the car to descend it will immediately act.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for regulating the impulse given the piston in its upward movement.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for properly lubricating the main cylinder.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is adiagrammatic view of an elevator and its mechanism illustrating our invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view with the main cylinder in section and illustrating the operating mechanism;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the lower portion of the main cylinder on the line aa, Fig. 2;

Fig. 41 is a longitudinal sectional view of the admission valve;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line b?), Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation on the line c0, Fig. 7; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line cZ-d, Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the main elevator cylinder in which is mounted the piston 2, of the ordinary type, having a rod 3 which projects through the head 4 of the cylinder. This rod has, in the present instance, at the upper end a wheel 5 around which passes the hoisting rope 6 attached at one end to a fixed point 7 and which passes around sheaves 8 and 9 and attached to the cage 10 in the ordinary manner. This cage is adapted to the usual guides.

12 is a steam cylinder located at one side of the main cylinder 1 and 13 is a pipe leading from the bottom of the cylinder 12 to the top of the main cylinder 1 and in this pipe is a controlling valve 14.- constructed as clearly shown. in Figs. 6 and 7, and which will be described in detail later. A lever 15 is attached to the movable portion of the valve and to a controlling rope 16 which is adapted to suitable guides and is located within easy reach of the operator. 17 is a steam supply pipe leading from a boiler, or other suitable source of supply, to a valve casing 18 which communicates with the upper end of the cylinder 12 and also communicates through a pipe 20, with the lower end of the main cylinder 1. This valve 18 is made as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and will be described later in detail.

On the stem 19 of the valve 19 in the casing 18 is an arm 21, which is connected by a rod 22 with the lever 15 of the-vah'e 141 so that the two valves are actuated, in the present instance, in unison. Also communicating with the lower end of the main cylinder 1 or directly with the pipe 20 is an exhaust pipe 23 having a valve 21-, which can be used as a regulating valve to increase or diminish the impulse in the piston 2 when steam is admitted to the under side of the piston from the pipe 20. At the lower end of the pipe 23 is a bleeder 25 to free the pipe of any water of condensation.

The cylinder 1 is closed at the lower end and, consequently, it is difiicult to lubricate the walls of the cylinder. Ne, therefore, form a cup 26, Fig. 3, in the bottom of the cylinder and locate on the outside a reservoir 27, which communicates with the cup through a pipe 28. The passage of oil is regulated by a valve 29. In order to spray the oil on the inner walls of the cylinder, we provide a steam pipe 30, which extends into the cylinder and has a downwardly extending nozzle which is directly above the cup. A valve 31 controls the passage of steam to the nozzle. WVhen it is desired to lubricate the interior of the cylinder, a certain amount of oil is admitted to the cup. The steam valve is opened and the steam escapes and forces the oil out of the cup, spraying it against the side wall of the cylinder and thoroughly lubricating the wall. Air may bglused in place of steam if found desira e.

The valve 14: is made as clearly shown in Fig. 6, and has passages 32 and 33 forming a continuation of the pipe 13 and in the casing is a valve 34; secured to a stem 35 to which is attached the lever 15 for actuating the valve.

The valve 18 is made as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and has a central port 36 and side ports 87 and 3S'communicating respecti vely with the pipes 17 and with the pipe pounds pressure, but in the construction prior to our invention when the elevator car was at a landing the piston 2 was released and there was usually several moments hesitation before the car commenced to descend, due to the fact that the steam pressure in the cylinder 12 would have to be reduced by exhausting before the piston 2 could be raised. This made this type of elevator objectionable where rapid movement Was necessary. By coupling the upper end of the steam cylinder with the lower end of the main cylinder, as illustrated in the drawings,- the pressure in the steam cylinder 12 at the moment the exhaust takes place is im mediately transmitted for an instant to the under side of the piston 2 in the main cylinder 1 and an upward impulse is given to the piston which causes the cage or car to descend immediately. As the one hundred pounds pressure is then on both sides of the pistOn 2, the pressure is equalized and the car descends by its own weight, owing to the fact that the pressure in the cylinder 12 is reduced as heretofore. The valve 2a in the exhaust pipe can be adjusted so as to regulate the impulse in the cylinder.

While we have mentioned steam as the pressure medium, it will be understood that compressed air may be used instead of steam. The objection to using compressed air has been that compressed air, when released, is apt to freeze at the end of the exhaust pipe, but if compressed air is used in connection with the mechanism above'described, the liquid in the cylinder 12 will be heated by the compression of the air above it and this warm exhaust pipe 23, its temperature is above freezing and, consequently, there is no frost at the exhaust.

Any suitable air compressor may be used and it can be located at any point desired.

We claim:

The combination in an elevator, of a cyl-' inder; a piston therein; a rod connectedto the piston; a cage, or car, to which the rod is also connected; a pressure cylinder; a pipe forming communication with the upper end of the main cylinder and the lower end of the pressure cylinder; another pipe forming a communication with the upper end of the pressure cylinder and the lower end of the main cylinder; an impeded exhaust pipe open to the atmosphere, also communicating with the lower end of the main cylinder; a supply pipe from a boiler communicating with the upper end of the pressure cylinder; an admission valve arranged to admit steam to the pressure cylinder and to exhaust steam from the cylinder into the pipe communicating with the lower end of the main cylinder so that when the piston is in the lower portion of the main cylinder and steam is in he reservoir, said steam can be momentarily discharged under the piston in the main cylinder so as to give it an initial movement to cause the cage to start quickly on its descent.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ELLIS B. RIDGWAY, WILLIAM RIDGWAY.

Witnesses:

CLARENCE W. SHEELER, JAMES J. MOMULLEN.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

